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The World Phytophthora Genetic Resource Collection (WPC) contains about 8000 isolates of over 140 species collected from multiple hosts or aquatic environments and from worldwide locations. It is unique in terms of the genetic diversity present as determined by numerous studies involving pathology, ecology, genomics, and molecular phylogeny. At its core are several thousand isolates that have been at the core of multitudes of research studies. Genomic DNA of these core isolates, maintained in the Phytophthora Bank, has been produced and used in numerous published studies.

Recent advances in molecular techniques including sequence data analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, Cox1 and Cox2, Beta-tubulin and other phylogenetic markers, both nuclear and mitochondrial, have allowed accurate identification of new phylogenetic species. The WPC is at the heart of this dramatic surge in new information providing characterized isolates and DNA that represent the crucial foundations of new scientific discovery.

A new online resource will provide definitive methods for characterizing new Phytophthora species. This online resource: “Phytophthora ID: Morphological and molecular identification based on type specimens and well authenticated species”. Abad Z.G, Bienapfl J.C., Burgess T.I., Coffey M.D. and Redford A.J. Many of the reference isolates and DNA were provide by the WPC.

The WPC is entirely dependent on charges for cultures and DNA. Without these charges the collection would be lost. PLEASE DONATE.